The present invention relates generally to synchronizing network entities and more particularly to synchronizing entities in a decentralized wireless or wired network without utilizing a master/slave configuration.
Decentralized and/or ‘ad hoc’ networks require synchronization between network entities in order to facilitate data transfer. Conventional decentralized wireless or wired networks utilize a master/slave relationship between entities. Traditionally all slave entities track the master entity's clock cycles in order to know when it is appropriate to send and receive data.
The master/slave relationship limits the number of entities which can communicate in a given network. Furthermore, the conventional master/slave relationship prohibits communication directly between two or slave entities for all communication is routed through the master entity.